BGA Newsletter 269 August 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Contributions are always welcome, both from our members and others. We ask that they be Go-related and "newsy". The place for debate and general discussion is the BGA open mailing list Gotalk. However, an introduction to a new topic is fine in the Newsletter. A brief introduction to Gotalk, with a link for joining, is on the BGA page Go on the Internet. See also the BGA temporary Coronavirus page.

Instructions for Contributors: Please use plain text not file-attachments. Keep it fairly brief, and give web-links and contact details. It's good to include pictures. If they are on the internet, send me the URL, otherwise attach the picture files to your email. Send your contribution to newsletter@britgo.org to arrive by the first day of the month.

Jil Segerman

NEWS

The full set of recent news items, including further details of some of the items shown here, are on our News Pages, and on News Headlines.

BGA Online Tournament: August 2020

There will be another BGA online tournament taking place on the August Bank Holiday weekend from 29th - 31st August. This will be a 3 round tournament with 1 round per day. For further details and to sign-up here.

Online Teams League

After somewhat of a hiatus we are restarting the Online Teams League. For those who've not participated before, the format is that teams of 3 or more players are formed and each month one team will be paired against another. Three games will be played during the month with team captains selecting who plays. We are now intending to start the new season in September and so we welcome more teams entering before the end of August. To find out more, or to enter your team, please contact Matt Marsh: matt@crazedbytes.net

MSO

During the month of August the Mind Sports Olympiad events are being played online. This year the events are free entry. The Go events are being played on OGS in room Mind Sports Olympiad. The events are: 9x9 on the evening of Wednesday 12th August (5-round Swiss), 13x13 on the evening of Friday 14th August (5-round Swiss) and 19x19 (4-round McMahon) on the afternoon and evening of Sunday 23rd August. The prize money for first in the 19x19 is £50 and medals (including junior medals) will be awarded in all events. A large entry is expected!

European Women's Championship

Originally scheduled for the London Go Centre in September, this has now been postponed to 2021 as expected.

UK Youth Go Players Online

The "Supergo" match on KGS between twelve British youth players and a team of twelve Chinese youth players continued throughout July and into August. Yanyi lost his fifth game, China then winning three in a row until Jonah Burnstone-Cresswell stopped the run. Jonah then won his next two; winning his third would win the match! Unfortunately he lost after a complicated fight and the match continues.

July Youth Squad Tournament

On Sunday 5 July, 30 young Go players gathered online for our first online training tournament for the UK Youth Go Squad, reports Alison Bexfield. Any player who had reached 20 kyu or better was invited (that we were aware of) and it was pleasing to see how many of the players had improved over recent months since we last saw them play.

We intend to hold more of these events which will help us choose the final line up for the British online youth team next autumn.

BGA Second Real Time Online Tournament

36 players took part in the second BGA real time online tournament, this time with a single day (Saturday 25 July), three-round format. Kalle Timperi (1d) came out top, winning a £45 Amazon voucher for his efforts. Joel Barrett (4k) and Michael Kyle (3k) took second and third place, winning vouchers of £25 and £10 respectively. Vouchers were also awarded to others on three wins: Sam Barnett (7k) and Jason Jackson (18k). Prizes also went to the highest placed below-the-bar (Colin Williams) and highest placed DDK (Dan Whiteley).

The third such tournament is Saturday 29th - Monday 31st August (one game per day).

ADMIN

BGJ 192 is now available

The Summer 2020 edition of the British Go Journal is now available in the Members' Area. Printed copies have been sent out.

BGA Journal

We are still seeking a volunteer to take over as Editor of the Journal. The BGA Council would be glad to hear from anyone who might consider taking on a less-onerous job, for example: fewer issues per year, on-line-only format, or job-share. Creative thinking welcomed; email council-discussion@britgo.org. Or to find out more, contact our current stop-gap editor Bob Scantlebury on journal@britgo.org.

EVENTS COMING SOON

NOTE Coronavirus

Current Government advice (checked 2 August 2020) precludes face-to-face events. The main obstacle seems to be the section "Gatherings in COVID-19 secure venues" on this page. The BGA's general advice on playing Go during the disease outbreak, including links to the Government advice is Here. 

The face-to-face events listed here have not yet been cancelled, because they may be able to go ahead if the advice changes. Tournament organisers will be responsible for safety, and compliance with the advice.

Various Online events are being planned.

Events not cancelled at time of going to press include:
THIS MONTH
Mind Sports Olympiad Online
August Online
SEPTEMBER
Cornwall
T Mark Hall Rapid Play, London
Swindon
Sheffield
OCTOBER
Northern, Cheadle Hulme, Manchester
Wessex, Bath
Three Peaks, Ingleton
NOVEMBER
British Youth Go Championship
DECEMBER
Edinburgh Xmas
London Open

LATER
April, British Go Congress
June, Welsh Open
August, Youth Training Residential

OVERSEAS
The European Go Federation's Tournament Calendar includes the Major European Tournaments and a World Tournament Calendar.